Methane emission from rice fields: Wetland rice fields may make a major contribution to global warming

Journal Article · · Bioscience; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2307/1311906· OSTI ID:6316973

Neue, H U ^[1]

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1. International Rice Research Institute, Manila (Philippines)

Wetland rice fields have recently been identified as a major source of atmospheric methane. As in a natural wetland, flooding a rice field cuts off the oxygen supply from the atmosphere to the soil, resulting in anaerobic fermentation of soil organic matter. Methane is a major end product of anaerobic fermentation, released from submerged soils to the atmosphere by diffusion and ebullition and through the roots and stems of rice plants. Recent global estimates of emission rates range from 20 to 100 Tg/yr, corresponding to 6-29% of the total annual anthropogenic methane emission. This article discusses the importance of rice as staple food, the different environments in which rice is grown, and the methane fluxes in rice fields, along with the factors controlling the fluxes and options for mitigating methane release. 60 refs., 3 tabs.

• OSTI ID: 6316973
• Journal Information: Bioscience; (United States), Journal Name: Bioscience; (United States) Vol. 43:7; ISSN 0006-3568; ISSN BISNAS
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540120* -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
ALKANES
ANAEROBIC CONDITIONS
AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS
CEREALS
CROPS
DIFFUSION
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
ECOSYSTEMS
EMISSION
FOOD
GLOBAL ASPECTS
GRAMINEAE
GROWTH
HYDROCARBONS
LILIOPSIDA
MAGNOLIOPHYTA
MATTER
METHANE
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC MATTER
PLANTS
PRODUCTION
RICE
ROOTS
SOILS
WETLANDS